(Un)Happy Meal deal?

Not all members of the Muncie Community School Board are in favor of a McDonald’s on theSouthside Middle School campus as 29th Street and Macedonia Avenue.
(Photo:
Corey Ohlenkamp/The Star Press
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MUNCIE – Some board members for Muncie Community Schools are not “lovin’ it.”

The idea of a McDonald’s on the Southside Middle School campus, that is.

It’s a “bad idea,” according to board member Beverly Kelley. “Southsiders want a McDonald’s on that side of town, but not at their school,” she said.

At a June board meeting, members approved the appraisal of the land — about four acres — at 29th Street and Macedonia Avenue after they were told by the Muncie Redevelopment Commission that there might be some interest in developing that area.

The Star Press reported the possibility of a McDonald’s at that site after a July 3 meeting of the MRC, where members — including MCS Board President Tony Costello — discussed it.

Costello said this week that McDonald’s “is one of several uses/owners being explored by the MRC. At this phase, it is typical that some participants do not want to be identified to the public for various economic implications.”

So far, the land has been surveyed and an appraisal is expected soon, MCS Supt. Tim Heller said during a July 10 board meeting.

Heller said then that “we have not made a decision as to what to with that land, if we do anything.” “The board will make that decision collectively,” he added.

Board member Robert Warrner said that because “our cafeterias are trying to teach our students about healthy eating, I personally do not favor a fast food restaurant at this location.”

“It sends the wrong message to our students and it makes it too easy for them to stop and eat while on their way to and from Southside School,” he added.

Warrner said he is “willing to consider” the development of this corner, “but any development must not conflict with the lessons we are trying to teach our students and it must create full time jobs with full paychecks, which is what we are trying to prepare our student for in their adult life.”

Kelley said community members have already expressed their concerns about a McDonald’s there. According to her, they “worry about the kids, sneaking off to McDonald’s, and their safety.”

One person even told her that because the business would “back up to the school,” it would make “it easier for offenders to sit in the parking lot and watch our kids.”

Costello said that in a “perfect world,” he would not “endorse a McDonald’s being built on the proposed site.”

“A health food store would be much better for the health of our citizens, but I believe this would be a real stretch from a marketing point of view,” he said.

He said he does, on occasion, eat at McDonald’s and makes “informed” decisions about ordering food there. “I would hope middle school children, with their parents’ guidance, could do the same,” he added.

Board member Debbie Feick said she was surprised to hear that the land was even being considered for “such a project.”

“Prior to our past meeting in which we voted to appraise the land, we were told that there was some interest by potential investors but no one disclosed for what purpose,” she said this week. “We knew nothing about this proposal until we read it in (The Star Press).”

Board member Michael Long said talk of a McDonald’s at that location is “premature.”

“The only thing the board has approved at this point is an appraisal of the land,” he said Thursday. “We haven’t even talked about selling it yet.”

Long did say he wasn’t sure McDonald’s is what the south side needs for economic development.

He also said that he didn’t see why the board would have to go through the MRDC to sell the land, if and when it decides to do that.

Feick agreed.

“Why couldn’t we just negotiate with an investor to eliminate the middle man?” she said.

Feick did say that the bottom line concerning any development there is finding out what’s best for the community, including Southside students.

“We are all in favor of doing what we can to promote the south side of Muncie as part of our total community,” she said, as long as it “enhances the south side of Muncie and it doesn’t interfere with our primary objective, which is serving our children.”